Mail-bag catcher



' a M mi 1924.

1,514,414 L. c. ARGABRIGHT MAIL BAG CATCHER Filed March 12. 1923 Patented Nov. d, 1924.

; ears MAIL-BAG- CATCHER.

Application filed March 12, 1923. Serial No. 624,578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANZY C. ARGA- BRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blacksburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Mail-Bag Catcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail bag catchers and has for its prime object to provide a hopper supported. along the railroad track for receiving mail bags as the train passes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mail bag catcher that comprises a hopper which is automatically opened as the train passes to receive the mail bags therein and which automatically returns to a locked position as soon as the train has passed by.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a mail bag catcher of the character indicated, which will prevent the mail bags from being thrown on the ground and damaged by falling on rocks, in mud holes, and other places, and which will also prevent robbery of the mail bag in case the postmaster does not remove the bag as soon as same is discharged from the train.

And a still further object of my invention is to provide a mail bag catcher of the character indicated, which is simple in construction, durable, eflicient for the purpose intended, and one that can be manufactured and installed on railroads at a relatively low cost.

These and like objects of the invention will be better understood as the description follows and as is specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and which clearly illustrates the construction and operation of my improved mail bag catcher,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a mail bag catcher constructed in accordance with my invention, showing same installed alongside of a railroad track.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of same, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

, Referring to the accompanying drawing in detail, like characters will be used to designate like parts in the diiferent views.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a platform which is positioned beside the railroad track and partly mounted on cross ties 2. The numeral 3 indicates one of the rails of the track.

A standard 4; is positioned on the platform 1 and secured thereto in any suitable man ner, two of which are employed to support on their upper ends a cylinder 5, the front 6 of which is hingedly connected to the body part 5 as at 7. A coil spring 8 isused for normally holding the parts 5 and 6 in a closed position.

A crank arm 9 is formed integral with each end of the cover 6 of the cylinder 5, and

is provided with a slot 10 therein, to which is connected a vertical operating rod 11 by means of the pin 12. The vertical rods 11 extend through openings 13 in the platform 1 and are connected as at 14: with levers 15 which are pivoted to the cross ties 2 as at 16. v

The opposite end of the rods 15 are connected as at 17 with a trip mechanism 18 that extends parallel with the rails 3 and projects a distance slightly above the height of same.

In the operation of my improved mail bag catcher, as the train passes over the track 3, the flange of the wheel strikes against the trip member 18, which moves same downwardly, causing the member 15 to swing on the pivot 16, moving the rods 11 upwardly allowing the pins 12 to slide in the slots 10 of the members 9 to open the cover 6 against tension of the'springs 8, thus permitting the mail clerk on the railway train to throw the mail bags into the cylindrical receptacle 5 as the train passes by. As soon as the train has passed by and the wheels have become disengaged from the trip member 18, the springs 8 normally return the cover 6 to its closed position causing same to lock in any suitable manner, thus preventing the mail bags from becoming lost, damaged, or stolen in any way until the postmaster can remove same from the receptacle in which same have been placed.

In view of the foregoing description of my invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought that any further explanation as to the construction, operation, and objects of my invention is unnecessary.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I realize that various minor changes may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in any way, and therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction shown, nor to the combination and arrangement of parts.

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i 1. A mail bag catcher, comprising a cylindrical mail bag receiving receptacle consisting of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections hinged together, and train operated means for swinging one of the semi-cylindrical sections away from the other as a train passes.

:2. A mail bag catcher, a cylindrical mail hag receiving receptacle consisting of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections hinged together, means for rigidly supporting one of the semi-cylindrical sections adjacent one longitudinal edge, and train operated means for swinging the other cylindrical section away from said rigidly supported section upon the hinged connection as a train passes.

3. A mail hag catcher, a cylindrical mail bag receiving receptacle consisting of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections hinged together, means for rigidly supporting one of the section upon the hinged semi-cylindrical sections adjacentone iongitndinal edge, train operated means for bag receiving receptacle consisting of a pair of semi cylindrical sections hinged together along one of their longitudinal edges, means for supporting one of the semi-cylindrical sections so that the edges of engagement with the other section will he in approximately a vertical plane, and train operated means for swinging the free cylindrical section away from the vertically supported connection as a train passes.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LANZY CILEY ARGABRIGHT. Witnesses RAYMOND K. OBRIEN,

WILLIAM R. PULLIN. 

